Cellular Mechanism Responsible for Chronic Inflammation Identified

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Posted on Jan 11, 2011, 6 a.m.

Boston University School of Medicine (US) researchers uncover the interaction between T-cells and monocytes that promotes a pro-inflammatory response.

T-cells play a critical role in the development of insulin resistance in response to a high fat diet, often leading to type-2 diabetes, but the cellular mechanism prompting the pro-inflammatory response by T-cells has been unclear. Barbara S. Nikolajczyk, from Boston University School of Medicine (Massachusetts, USA), and colleagues observed that in order for T-cells to exhibit the pro-inflammatory response, they required constant interaction with monocytes, indicating that monocytes play an indirect role in chronic inflammation and type-2 diabetes. While it is not known what the homeostatic balance levels are between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory T cells, this study indicates the need to restore a balance in order to halt chronic inflammation.